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Ok, so we've had roughly 2 weeks of FA so far. We are... 36 days away from the draft. Between now & then there will still be some FA signings, but the main rush on FA's is likely over at this point.

We'll still see a few Pro Days coming up, and soon the draft prospect visits will kick in.

It might be time to look at what directions the Steelers might look to go in regards to the draft at this point.

QB:
By signing Gradkowski, the Steelers secured the #2 QB position. They also added Parker from the Jaguars, but he's no guarentee of making the roster. Either a young, likely undrafted QB might be added to become #3, or Charlie Batch might get another ride on the ferris wheel. It wouldn't surprise Chadman to see an UDFA be added before Training Camp.

RB:
Dwyer signed his tender, and Batch is under contract. Redman has also been tendered, but is not yet signed. We've seen apparent interest in both Steven Jackson & Ahmad Bradshaw in FA that has lead to nothing, along with a workout & physical for Beanie Wells that never got beyond that. There are still a few FA RB's available, including Bradshaw, but it wouldn't surprise Chadman to see the Steelers focus on draft picks to help the situation. There have been reported interest shown in LeVeon Bell & Montee Ball so far. Both RB's look like the classic 'pounder' type RB. Safe to say that RB will be a Draft Priority.

WR:
Lost Wallace as expected, and there is some potential the Steelers lose Sanders too. Plaxico has returned, and there are a few young WR's on the roster in Gilreath & Reed that might be given a shot. That said, a WR in the draft seems almost a guarentee- but how high? Both Brown & Sanders could be long-term starters, so Chadman is not convinced WR is as high a priority as other positions, in so far as using a high pick to select one.

TE:
There will be a few posters who don't want to hear this, but Matt Speath & David Johnson probably made a rookie TE a luxury the Steelers can't afford at this point. Because the Steelers are likely to extend Miller next season, Chadman was always a bit skeptical as to if the draft would produce a high round pick for what would basically be a back-up player.

OL:
With the Steelers having invested 4 high round draft picks on the OL in the last 3 years, and now signing Foster to a 3 year deal, the chances of OL being a 1st or 2nd round selection appear to be slim. They might look for a depth player in the later rounds, but they might also choose to add a Vet to do that role too.

DL:
So Chadman has mentioned that both Keisel & Hood become FA's next season. Here's the thing- Chadman would expect that Hood would be retained. Unlike many, Chadman isn't so sure that Hood isn't going that badly. Heyward would step in for Keisel next season, so DE appears shored up for a while. Potentially a later round back-up might be nice, but not necessary. NT however, is more questionable. McLendon only recieved the lowest tender as a RFA, which makes Chadman wonder just how sold they are on him. It could just be a finances thing, but maybe not. Ta'amu is an encouraging player- but that court case looms over him. Fangupo looks solid, but unspectacular. NT is still a sneaky option in Round 1, if not for simply the 'need' factor, but also because 'value' might dictate that a NT is the BPA at #17.. what are the chances of Star Lotulelei falling due to this heart condition?

LB:
Early favourite for the Steelers #1 pick was LB- be it ILB or OLB- didn't matter. With the dust settling on the draft class, it looks more likely that ILB might not be great value at #17. The 2nd round looks like a good position to grab a quality guy, however. At OLB, if Jarvis Jones, Mingo or Dion Jordan fall to #17, then yes- OLB could be a strong chance. IF one of those guys doesn't land at #17 though- it wouldn't surprise Chadman if the Steelers 'commit' to Worilds as the starter & then look for a later round OLB for depth.

DB:
Losing Keenan Lewis hurts, long term. Signing Willie Gay helps, short term. Cortez Allen will become 1 starter, but with Taylor getting up in age, a progression plan at CB might be needed. Like NT, Chadman gets a feeling that CB might be the sneaky option at #17- particularly if only Milliner is off the board at #17. Safety is different- the progression plan at FS & SS is required soon as both starters are on the wrong side of 30. Trufant, with his speed & ballskills, might be interesting at #17. Matt Elam & Eric Reid might prove great value for the Steelers early..

Alright... we might have a bit of fun today & put together Chadman's first Mock Draft, based on where the Steelers are at right now. Chadman is going to make a slight assumption & suggest that Ahmad Bradshaw might very well be signed- the Steelers will not want to go into the Draft with a gaping hole in any 1 position. Bradshaw could be simply a stop gap solution, but he takes away the need to 'reach' for a need in any single round- important when considering the depth of 'need' on the roster.

The Steelers have generally done a good job of 'Player Progression' during the Tomlin/Colbert regime. Very rarely does this team draft a player with an eye to being an immediate starter- they are generally brought in to develop behind an incumbant starter who's contract/career is coming to it's end within a season or 2. The time has certainly come (some might argue it's a year past) to find Ryan Clark's eventual successor. Vaccaro plays an aggressive style, is good against the run, is used to cover the slot... he's a good fit. Also plays in the BIG 12, one of the Steelers key 'big school, big production' divisions. He's a sensible selection, and whichever way Chadman has sliced it, he keeps coming back with Vaccaro in the top 3 options.

Strengths: Prototypical size and build for the position. Possesses a high-cut frame with good overall musculature. Shows very good straight-line speed, agility, balance and hip flexibility. Athleticism for coverage duties are enhanced by Vaccaro's vision and instincts. Quickly locates the ball and shows an understanding of route-progression, rarely getting caught out of position.

Often asked to drop down from his free safety position to cover the slot, demonstrating a smooth backpedal, hip turn and the burst out of his breaks to stay in the hip pocket of his opponent. Hasn't generated the number of interceptions of prior UT defensive backs, but has good ball skills and showed greater willingness to jump routes as a senior.

Highly aggressive run defender. Flies to the line in run support, demonstrating a physical pop and generally reliable open-field tackling skills. Possesses the long, strong arms for the drag-down tackle, as well as good closing speed in pursuit and on the occasional blitz.

Weaknesses: Can get out of control in his aggression toward the line of scrimmage. Will duck his head in his attempt to make the big hit and leave cut-back lanes for patient, explosive runners to take full advantage. Must do a better job of wrapping up, rather than leading with his shoulder.

Hasn't shown the consistency as ballhawk considering his hype, recording only five interceptions in 51 career games. Teams will want to ask Vaccaro about a few run-ins with authorities. He was reportedly arrested following a fight with another Texas student in 2009 and again in 2012 after failing to obey a lawful order, a misdemeanor.
Compares To: Eric Weddle, FS, San Diego Chargers -- Like the highly instinctive and versatile Weddle, Vaccaro has the athleticism and size to line up wherever his NFL team needs him most. Vaccaro hasn't yet shown the same ball skills as the Chargers' Pro Bowler but showed signs of improving in this area as a senior.

The Steelers attended the WVU Pro Day en masse the other day, checking in with both WR's Austin & Bailey. While Austin is the homerun threat, Bailey is the better WR, and a better fit for the Offense Todd Haley wants to run. Best word to describe Bailey might be... playmaker. With Wallace gone, and Sanders no guarentee of being a success, having a guy like Bailey makes a lot of sense. Again, like Vaccaro, Bailey played in the BIG 12, which meets the Steelers 'big school/big production' division requirements.

STRENGTHS: Bailey tracks the ball very well and shows outstanding body control and timing on deep passes. He has excellent hand/eye coordination and is a natural hands-catcher, snatching it away from his body with strong hands and making tough catches look easy.

Bailey is a balanced athlete with quick feet in/out of his breaks and the agility in the open field to make defenders miss. He is a smart route-runner and knows how to bait defenders and attract defensive pass interference penalties. Bailey shows excellent patience and burst in his routes with good stop-and-go motions to release at the line of scrimmage and gain a step or work back to the ball. He does a nice job gaining inside position and uses his body well, doing a nice job catching the ball in stride.

Bailey has a RB-like build with a little bit of power for the position and strength to pick up yards after contact. He has some wiggle after the catch and is not always easy to bring down with his slippery run style.

Bailey was extremely productive over his career, setting several school records including career touchdown catches (39). He has good starting experience with 35 career starts the past three seasons, lining up all over the offense.

WEAKNESSES: Bailey lacks ideal height, length and leaping ability, lacking the large catching radius of other receivers. He doesn't have great explosiveness to beat defenders with speed alone, lacking the same suddenness as his teammate Tavon Austin.

Bailey doesn't always appear invested in the play when it isn't designed to go his way. He has limited experience and production on special teams (11 career kick returns).

He needs to play smarter, drawing a celebration penalty after a touchdown against Baylor (2012). He battled a gimpy left ankle much of the 2012 season and has some minor durability concerns. Bailey has some character concerns after he was cited for stealing over-the-counter cold medication in Jan. 2012.

NFL Comparison: Mix of Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers and Golden Tate, Seattle Seahawks - Bailey has the build and athleticism of Tate, but shows the toughness and downfield playmaking ability of Smith

The outlook for 2012 Round 3 selection Sean Spence does not look good. The need for security at the position, long term, is quite evident. Bostic is an aggressive tackler, quite instinctive, and a team leader. The Steelers might need to surround themselves with this sort of player. Played in the SEC, so another that fit's the 'big school/big production' mantra. Steelers were out in force at Florida's Pro Day.

STRENGTHS: Instinctive, physical football player who doesn't back down from a challenge. Reads the action well and is faster to the ball than he might appear on the track. Closes with aggression, bringing his hips and driving through the ball-carrier to flash the ability to make the big hit. Seems to enjoy the physicality of the game, rushing to take on fullbacks and pulling linemen.

Does a nice job of keeping square and taking on blocks aggressively, rarely losing ground. Slides off blocks to make the tackle if the ball-carrier gets close. Good strength for the drag down tackle. Keeps his eyes on the quarterback when dropping into coverage and shows some understanding of route development, slipping into holes to thwart passing opportunities. Good ball skills for the position. Times his blitzes well.

Natural special teams candidate due to his aggression, physicality. Vocal team leader.

WEAKNESSES: While Bostic is quick to take on blockers, he isn't necessarily quick to shed them. Appears to have shorter than ideal arms and will lose sight of the ball when battling with blockers. Appears to possess just adequate sideline-to-sideline speed and may struggle to protect the edge against speedier NFL ballcarriers.

A bit stiff in his upper body and can be eluded in the open field. Relies on his eyes rather than athleticism when in coverage and will likely struggle in this area in the NFL, making him likely a two-down linebacker.

COMPARES TO: David Hawthorne, ILB, New Orleans Saints -- Just as "The Heater" has done for the Saints and previously the Seattle Seahawks, Bostic will make a club as an effective run-stuffing middle linebacker despite a lack of top-notch speed.

After losing James Harrison, missing on Victor Butler, and having said that one area the team needs to improve is rushing the passer, chances are- the Steelers will look at OLB. Washington passed on so many levels at the Combine for Steeler stats that it's hard to overlook him. Big, fast, aggressive & knows how to get to the QB. Might be just enough competition to either nudge ahead of Worilds at ROLB, or to allow the Steelers to move on from Woodley in 2014.

Strengths: Good size and has done a nice job filling out his frame, adding 40+ pounds since high school. Very good length (34? arms) to extend and jolt. Closes quickly with natural burst and a quick first step to accelerate in a flash. Has some range to make plays away from the line of scrimmage with good straight-line speed. Experience standing up at linebacker and rushing from a 3-point stance. Can hold his own at the point and does a nice job getting underneath the pads of blocks to bully. Vocal leader.

Weaknesses: Upright pass rusher and gets too high out of his stance. Needs to keep his eyes elevated and play disciplined to hold contain. Not a natural bender and plays a tad mechanical and tight. Streaky motor and nasty streak, taking some plays off. Some maturity questions after a DUI arrest in Oct. 2011, going 92 miles per hour in a 55 MPH zone (suspended two games). Also attracted some controversy for calling out fans on Facebook this past season.

COMPARES TO: Baraka Atkins, DE, Dallas Cowboys - Like Atkins, Washington displays some natural feel for generating a pass rush, but a lack of consistent get-off and top-end burst will make it difficult to hold a roster spot at the next level unless he can make better use of his length and improve his technique off the snap.

After losing Keenan Lewis, the Steelers will need to re-stock at CB for the future Ike Taylor replacement. Hawthorne is an athletic playmaker that can help not only on Defense, but has played snaps at WR & returns kicks. Played in the BIG 10, so level of competition is very good.

STRENGTHS: Good height and frame for the position. Excellent athlete with more than enough speed for the position. Fluid footwork and smooth hip action to quickly change directions. Nice job reading and reacting in a flash to jump routes and make a play on the ball. Rangy with the make-up speed to recover and close. Physical in run support and doesn't shy from contact. Aggressive competitor and doesn't back down from a challenge. Versatile and a quick learner. Some experience as a return man on special teams.

WEAKNESSES: Lanky frame with average bulk for the position and needs to get stronger. Transitional technique needs refinement and needs to do more at the line of scrimmage to reroute receivers. Susceptible to fakes and too easily bites in coverage, needing to show better discipline. Too much contact downfield and needs to show better finesse and timing. Too easily blocked on the outside and lost contain. Only average ballskills and won't always finish the interception. Strong durability concerns with a history of bumps and bruises, including a serious concussion in 2012.